All about hostels
I thought I'd note that the hostels seem to be getting better as we go north. Well, each has their ups and downs, but I think we're at our best one yet in Maroochydore (try saying that five times fast, or its sister town, Mooloolaba), north of Brisbane. The following will probably be boring for you to read, but I want to write an overview of the hostels as I go for my own purposes... I'm finding the days blend together quite a bit and there are times that I can't remember what I did the day before, so I figure it's a good idea to write about these things now.
Hostel overviews:
Keiraview in Woolongong: Private room for the three of us with ensuite bathroom, good kitchen facilities, virutally no social atmosphere.
Ozzie Pozzie in Port Macquarie: Private room for the three of us, small shared bathroom (2 stalls, 2 showers for probably 20-30 people at capacity), good kitchen facilities, good social atmosphere.
Aussietel in Coffs Harbour: Shared mixed gender 6-bunk room, small grungy shared bathroom (again, 2 stalls, 2 showers, but for probably 40 people this time) with no hooks and only one soap dispenser, good social atmosphere, great reception help and activity planning.
Backpackers Hostel in Byron Bay: 4-bunk mixed gender room, good-sized clean bathroom and kitchen shared with just one other 4-bunk room, lively social atmosphere (there were probably 40 people sitting at a long picnic bench downstairs -- glad our room was upstairs or it would have been noisy til quiet time!). I put my feet up for a bit in the evening and listened as the hum of people chatting in the distance was overpowered by the rise of a chorus of chirping (croaking?)... it was very relaxing.
Other stuff about Byron Bay, since I didn't do much more than mention it in my last post: it is only a town of 12,000, but it is extremely popular because it has great waves for surfing... there is one sheltered bay which is great for learning, and another beach for the more advanced. It is very much dominated by youth and backpackers. The town had such a warm and friendly feel to it... I walked down the street to the internet cafe at 10pm and there were still lots of happy people out and about. We were only in town for Thursday evening and took off first thing Friday morning, but I was intrigued enough that I might try to stop in again if I backtrack down the coast via train and bus. I would really like to do that to see some more things, but as it will be around the start of school holidays and the Christmas season when I leave Cairns, I am concerned about finding places to stay as I go. If I want to do it, I'll have to book all of my accomodation in advance, which means I won't be able to be flexible in my schedule, which I really want. Can't have it all, I guess!
Right, back to hostels: we are currently in Maroochydore, an hour north of Brisbane. We are at the YHA (Youth Hostel Association) hostel here, and it's a gooder. First, the reception lady has been incredibly friendly and helpful. The dorms are 6-bed same-sex with a half-wall between sets of bunks, the bathroom is big (although STILL only 2 stalls and 2 showers...) with lots of counter space and hooks, a huge well-equipped kitchen, and a great social atmosphere -- although more spread out than most. It's also surrounded by vegetation, has cute dorm names (based on the colour of the door: Danielle and I are in "Chili", David is in "Orange", and others include "Blueberry" and "Banana")... plus, it has a POOL. Oh, and they had free ice cream the night we arrived! I wouldn't mind staying here for awhile, and it looks like I will be for at least a few nights. There is a musician (Kate Millar-Heidke) whose career I've been following for a few years ever since I first heard a song on hers on Australian internet radio, and she is playing one of only a few shows this year in Brisbane on November 20th. Danielle and David want to move on on Monday, so I am going to stay in Maroochydore or Mooloolaba for a few days, then take the bus back to Brisbane and stay there a few days, catch the concert on Thursday, and then take a train from Brisbane to wherever D&D are by then.
One more general thing I haven't mentioned yet: the humidity! I am glad we are going south to north, because we are moving into the high humidity gradually. We didn't really start feeling it until Byron Bay, and oddly enough it feels a little *less* humid up here, a bit further north... but I think it's just an off day. I fear for Cairns, which apparently makes you feel like showering every 20 minutes!
I only took a few pics of Byron Bay and driving through Brisbane, but here you go:
Most hostels have courtesy vans like this and do free pickups from transit stations.
There are, natrually, lots of surfers everywhere -- but especially so in Byron Bay.
Driving through Brisbane.
Next post... the Australia Zoo (that's the one inspired by Steve Irwin), which we went to yesterday.